Delhi students’ reliance on private coaching exceeds national average: survey

Nearly four out of 10 school students in Delhi attend private coaching classes, far higher than the national average, with the reliance peaking at 59.2% among higher secondary students (Classes 11 and 12), according to government data.

The findings, released this week in the Comprehensive Modular Survey (Education), conducted during April-June 2025 by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, highlight the growing dependence on coaching in the Capital and declining emphasis on formal schooling.

In the survey, education-related information was gathered for 57,742 currently enrolled school students.

‘Higher in urban areas’

According to the report, 27% of all students nationwide were taking or had taken private coaching during the current academic year. “This practice was more common in urban areas (30.7%) than rural areas (25.5%). In Delhi, however, the proportion was significantly higher – 39.9% in urban areas and 26.8% in rural parts,” the report stated.

The definition of coaching included private tuition or academic support for school subjects, preparation for competitive exams such as JEE, NEET, and CUET, and higher or additional studies aligned with the curriculum. The proportion of Delhi students availing coaching rose steadily with each stage of schooling: 7% at the pre-primary level, 30.2% in the primary classes (Class 1 to Class 5), 41.8% in middle school (Class 6 to Class 8), 51.6% in secondary school (Class 9 and Class 10), and 59.2% in higher secondary. Among higher secondary students, 61% in urban Delhi took coaching compared with 31.4% in rural areas.

“Going to coaching has become common, particularly among senior students preparing for competitive examinations. Parents even tell us that coaching is more important than school because exams like CUET, JEE, and NEET are based on MCQs,” said Sudha Acharya, principal of ITL Public School, Dwarka.

Cost burden

The survey also noted rise in coaching expenditure as students move into higher grades. In Delhi, families spent an average of ₹4,992 at the middle level, ₹10,866 in secondary classes, and ₹12,891 at the higher secondary level. At the pre-primary level, average expenditure stood at just ₹295, rising to ₹2,195 in the primary grades.

Beyond coaching, Delhi students’ average annual spending on school-related expenses was ₹12,672 on course fees, ₹3,152 on transportation, ₹1,388 on uniforms, and ₹2,064 on textbooks and stationery. Coaching expenditures were collected separately from these figures, underscoring the additional financial burden on households.